McConnell and McLeish agree to accept First Minister poll result

By Tara Womersley

12:00AM BST 21 Oct 2000

THE two candidates conducting whirlwind campaigns to lead the Scottish Labour Party and be First Minister, folowing the death of Donald Dewar, agreed yesterday to accept today's election result and not seek a re-run.

Jack McConnell [left] and Henry McLeish

Henry McLeish, the Enterprise Minister, has gained the backing of the entire cabinet while Jack McConnell, the Finance Minister has been touring the country to sway MSPs. Mr McConnell's campaign suffered a setback yesterday after the only Executive member to publicly back him, Frank McAveety, the deputy Housing Minister, switched sides.

Mr McLeish's camp claimed that the backing of all ministers and deputies showed that support had been won from those who had worked most closely with their man in the Scottish Parliament. Mr McConnell, 40, however, argues that the ballot is secret and anything could happen. He is calling for a fight with no interference from outside, a warning to Westminster to stay away.

He said yesterday: "The next 24 hours should be free from interference. If I am First Minister for Scotland I will make sure that there is no interference in the Parliament either." Mr McLeish, 52, who is the favourite, said: "I am pleased that the people with whom we have worked over the last 17 months are now supporting me. I want to develop a team spirit."

The candidates will have one last chance to secure votes at the interim election in Stirling today and an announcement on the winner is expected at lunchtime. The party's 27-strong national executive and 54 MSPs will take part in the ballot so that a First Minister can be sworn in within the legal requirement of 28 days. After this a longer campaign, with votes from the entire electoral college, can be run. However, if neither candidate stands again this will be redundant.

But the electoral process was criticised by George Galloway, Labour MP for Glasgow Kelvin, who claimed that it deprived party members of the chance to have their say. He said: "It's all a bit disappointing and entirely foreseen. I predicted that this could have happened because Donald Dewar did not appoint a deputy leader.

"It seems that both candidates have said Saturday will be the end, thus robbing the broader Labour movement of an input into who should be leader."